Skate on the Patio at ANCC!

How has this idea enhanced your club's operation, etc.?

January is typically a quiet month at ANCC and we anticipated that the pandemic would cause it to be even slower than normal. We wanted to provide the members with an activity that would give them a reason to safely visit the club with their families at this time of year and decided to install a synthetic ice rink on our championship tennis court for two weeks. We offered reservations-only skating 6 days a week/8 hours a day (the court is lit) with strict capacity limits in place, skate rentals and ‘apres skate’ hot drinks and snacks. We installed fire pits and heaters on our patio with comfortable seating for family groups.

How was this idea implemented and what have been the club members' reactions?

Our Banquet management team took the lead on organizing ‘Skate on the Patio’. The response from the club’s members was amazing with many families returning three times to skate. We covered the cost of the rink with skating/skate rental fees and increased our restaurant revenues by 30% over prior year with members dining before and after skating. It was a huge success and we will likely repeat it in future years.